A system and method for determining a pixel characteristic of pixels in interpolated frames. Preceding and successive frames are evaluated to determine if there is a frame-wide change occurring to the pixels. To the extent there is a frame-wide change, the pixel characteristic in interpolated frames is accommodated by the frame-wide change. In one implementation, frame-wide changes in luminance, such as fade in and fade out, are detected and the pixel characteristic of pixels in the interpolated frame is determined based at least in part on fallback techniques rather than motion compensation interpolation.